Local news blogging: Republican SC senator censured by local GOP

Senator Linsey Graham (R - S.C.) was censured by an executive Republican Party committee in Charleston County on Monday for his support of legislation Republicans on Capitol Hill have generally fought against.

“The resolution mentions Graham’s cooperation with U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., on a bipartisan energy bill, and his support for the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program and the time he called some opponents of immigration reform “bigots.”

“‘U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham — in the name of bipartisanship — continues to weaken the Republican brand and tarnish the ideals of freedom, rule of law, and fiscal conservatism,’ the resolution reads.

“Bennett said the resolution passed unanimously by a voice vote among about 50 of the party’s 104 executive committee members.

“She said party faithful have talked about the resolution for a while. ‘The feeling is if you’re not going to uphold the platform, then why bother to run as a Republican?’ she said.”

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The New York Times reported that “Graham’s office pointed out that he was ranked the 15th-most conservative senator in 2008 by The National Journal.”

“At this point, it’s become painfully obvious that U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (RINO-S.C.) is being financially supported by the leftist of left-leaning advocacy groups in America in exchange for his support of a new energy tax – one that could cost South Carolina families as much as $4,000 a year.

“Not only that, his political consultants have gone out of their way to conceal the true source of the funding for the various advertisements that have popped up to defend Graham.”

“One of South Carolina’s most beloved GOP leaders is coming to the defense of Sen. Lindsey Graham after a county Republican Party censured the senior U.S. Senator for working toward a bi-partisan alternative energy solution.”

“Shocked at the news, Graham was quick to react and left a long and rambling message on their answering machine.

“’I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it. It’ll never happen again. John Kerry and I are just friends. I don’t even like the Democrats, I was just spying on them for us. It’s not what it looked like. If you just give me another chance, I can explain. You know you’re my party and you’ll always be my party. Do you really think I’d pick them over you? It was just in the heat of the moment and it didn’t mean anything. I was thinking of you the whole time. What can I do to make it up to you?’

“As of late Tuesday, the Charleston GOP was not returning Graham’s calls and was reportedly crying in their bedroom, cutting his face out of all their pictures.”

“On Monday night, Republicans from moderate, laid-back (and environmentally-friendly) Charleston, S.C. got into the act, formally censuring U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham for a litany of offenses, including his support of a so-called ‘pro-environmental’ bill.”

Palmetto Scoop: Who’s behind attacks on Lindsey Graham?“A shadowy, mysterious group called “American Energy Alliance (AEA)” has bought nearly $300,000 worth of ads in South Carolina attacking Graham. We will reveal who’s really behind the ads in a moment.”